Jan 22, About Today for Tuesday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time

January 22

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

“She encouraged each of them in the language of their fathers. Filled with a noble spirit, she fired her woman’s reasoning with a man’s courage, and she said to them, ‘I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of man and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws,’” (2 Mac 7:21-23).[1]

Today is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. As a creative action of the Father, every life is a gift from God, worthy of dignity. [2] As Pope Benedict XVI said in an address to the Archbishops of Rwanda, “Work tirelessly so that the Gospel will penetrate ever more profoundly in the heart and life of believers, inviting the faithful to assume increasingly their responsibility in society, in particular in the field of the economy and politics, with a moral sense nourished by the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church.” [3]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD[1] Revised Standard Version s.v., “Maccabees, The Second Book of the.”[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed., 2258. [3] Benedict XVI, “Address to the Bishops of Rwanda” in Vatican Statements on Social Justice, May 22, 2005, www.usccb.org. Note: We do not include content specific to this special day. This “About Today” is provided so that you can remember this day of prayer and penance as you worship Christ.

Psalm 37
The lot of the wicked and the goodBlessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

I

Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not envy those who do evil:
for they wither quickly like grass
and fade like the green of the fields.

If you trust in the Lord and do good,
then you will live in the land and be secure.
If you find your delight in the Lord,
he will grant your heart’s desire.

Commit your life to the Lord,
trust in him and he will act,
so that your justice breaks forth like the light,
your cause like the noon-day sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait in patience;
do not fret at the man who prospers;
a man who makes evil plots
to bring down the needy and the poor.

Calm your anger and forget your rage;
do not fret, it only leads to evil.
For those who do evil shall perish;
the patient shall inherit the land.

A little longer—and the wicked shall have gone.
Look at his place, he is not there.
But the humble shall own the land
and enjoy the fullness of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.

Ant. 2 Turn away from evil, learn to do God’s will; the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.

II

The wicked man plots against the just
and gnashes his teeth against him;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked
for he sees that his day is at hand.

The sword of the wicked is drawn,
his bow is bent to slaughter the upright.
Their sword shall pierce their own hearts
and their bows shall be broken to pieces.

The just man’s few possessions
are better than the wicked man’s wealth;
for the power of the wicked shall be broken
and the Lord will support the just.

He protects the lives of the upright,
their heritage will last for ever.
They shall not be put to shame in evil days,
in time of famine their food shall not fail.

But the wicked shall perish
and all the enemies of the Lord.
They are like the beauty of the meadows,
they shall vanish, they shall vanish like smoke.

The wicked man borrows without repaying,
but the just man is generous and gives.
Those blessed by the Lord shall own the land,
but those he has cursed shall be destroyed.

The Lord guides the steps of a man
and makes safe the path of the one he loves.
Though he stumble he shall never fall
for the Lord holds him by the hand.

I was young and now I am old,
but I have never seen the just man forsaken
nor his children begging for bread.
All the day he is generous and lends
and his children become a blessing.

Then turn away from evil and do good
and you shall have a home for ever;
for the Lord loves justice
and will never forsake his friends.

The unjust shall be wiped out for ever
and the children of the wicked destroyed.
The just shall inherit the land;
there they shall live forever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Turn away from evil, learn to do God’s will; the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.

Ant. 3 Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.

III

The just man’s mouth utters wisdom
and his lips speak what is right;
the law of his God is in his heart,
his steps shall be saved from stumbling.

The wicked man watches for the just
and seeks occasion to kill him.
The Lord will not leave him in his power
nor let him be condemned when he is judged.

Then wait for the Lord, keep to his way.
It is he who will free you from the wicked,
raise you up to possess the land
and see the wicked destroyed.

I have seen the wicked triumphant,
towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
I passed by again; he was gone.
I searched; he was nowhere to be found.

See the just man, mark the upright,
for the peaceful man a future lies in store,
but sinners shall all be destroyed.
No future lies in store for the wicked.

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord,
their stronghold in time of distress.
The Lord helps them and delivers them
and saves them: for their refuge is in him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You proclaimed the poor to be blessed, Lord Jesus, for the kingdom of heaven is given to them. Fill us generously with your gifts. Teach us to put our trust in the Father and to seek his kingdom first of all rather than imitate the powerful and envy the rich.

Ant. Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Teach me goodness and holy wisdom.– For I have put my trust in your guidance.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of Deuteronomy6:4-25
The law of love

Moses spoke to the people, saying:

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

“When the Lord, your God, brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he would give you, a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, with houses full of goods of all sorts that you did not garner, with cisterns that you did not dig, with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant; and when, therefore, you eat your fill, take care not to forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. The Lord, your God, shall you fear; him shall you serve, and by his name shall you swear.

“You shall not follow other gods, such as those of the surrounding nations, lest the wrath of the Lord, your God, flare up against you and he destroy you from the face of the land; for the Lord, your God, who is in your midst, is a jealous God.

“You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test, as you did at Massah. But keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, and the ordinances and statutes he has enjoined on you. Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that you may, according to his word, prosper, and may enter in and possess the good land which the Lord promised on oath to your fathers, thrusting all your enemies out of your way.

“Later on, when your son asks you what these ordinances, statutes and decrees mean which the Lord, our God, has enjoined on you, you shall say to your son, ‘We were once slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and wrought before our eyes signs and wonders, great and dire, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and his whole house. He brought us from there to lead us into the land he promised on oath to our fathers, and to give it to us. Therefore, the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes in fear of the Lord, our God, that we may always have as prosperous and happy a life as we have today; and our justice before the Lord, our God, is to consist in carefully observing all these commandments he has enjoined on us.’”

RESPONSORY Psalm 19:8, 9; Romans 13:8, 10

The law of the Lord is perfect, it gives life to the soul. The word of the Lord is to be trusted, it gives wisdom to the simple.–The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eye.

The man who loves his neighbor fulfills the law; the whole law is summed up in love, for love is the fulfillment of the law.–The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eye.

Second reading
From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, popeWho can express the binding power of divine love?

Let the man truly possessed by the love of Christ keep his commandments. Who can express the binding power of divine love? Who can find words for the splendor of its beauty? Beyond all description are the heights to which it lifts us. Love unites us to God; it cancels innumerable sins, has no limits to its endurance, bears everything patiently. Love is neither servile nor arrogant. It does not provoke schisms or form cliques, but always acts in harmony with others. By it all God’s chosen ones have been sanctified; without it, it is impossible to please him. Out of love the Lord took us to himself; because he loved us and it was God’s will, our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life’s blood for us – he gave his body for our body, his soul for our soul.

See then, beloved, what a great and wonderful things love is, and how inexpressible its perfection. Who are worthy to possess it unless God makes them so? To him therefore we must turn, begging of his mercy that there may be found in us a love free from human partiality and beyond reproach. Every generation from Adam’s time to ours has passed away; but those who by God’s grace were made perfect in love have a dwelling now among the saints, and when at last the kingdom of Christ appears, they will be revealed. Take shelter in your rooms for a little while, says Scripture, until my wrath subsides. Then I will remember the good days, and will raise you from your graves.

Happy are we, beloved, if love enables us to live in harmony and in the observance of God’s commandments, for then it will also gain for us the remission of our sins. Scripture pronounces happy those whose transgressions are pardoned, whose sins are forgiven. Happy the man, it says, to whom the Lord imputes no fault, on whose lips there is no guile. This is the blessing given those whom God has chosen through Jesus Christ our Lord. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORY 1 John 4:16, 7

We have put our faith in the love God has for us.–Those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.

Let us love one another, for love comes from God.– Those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

Since you, O God, are my stronghold,
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning,
oppressed by the foe?

O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,
O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
my savior and my God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Almighty Father, source of everlasting light, send forth your truth into our hearts and pour over us the brightness of your light.

Ant. Lord, send forth your light and your truth.

Ant. 2 Lord, keep us safe all the days of our life.

Canticle – Isaiah 38:10-14, 17-20
Anguish of a dying man and joy in his restorationI am living, I was dead… and I hold the keys of death (Revelation 1:17-18).

Once I said,
“In the noontime of life I must depart!
To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned
for the rest of my years.”

I said, “I shall see the Lord no more
in the land of the living.
No longer shall I behold my fellow men
among those who dwell in the world.”

My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent,
is struck down and borne away from me;
you have folded up my life, like a weaver
who severs the last thread.

Day and night you give me over to torment;
I cry out until the dawn.
Like a lion he breaks all my bones;
day and night you give me over to torment.

Like a swallow I utter shrill cries;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes grow weak, gazing heaven-ward:
O Lord, I am in straits; be my surety!

You have preserved my life
from the pit of destruction,
when you cast behind your back
all my sins.

For it is not the nether world that gives you thanks,
nor death that praises you;
Neither do those who go down into the pit
await your kindness.

The living, the living give you thanks,
as I do today.
Fathers declare to their sons,
O God, your faithfulness.

The Lord is our savior;
we shall sing to stringed instruments
in the house of the Lord
all the days of our life.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, keep us safe all the days of our life.

Ant. 3 To you, O God, our praise is due in Zion.

Psalm 65
Solemn thanksgivingZion represents heaven (Origen).

To you our praise is due
in Zion, O God.
To you we pay our vows,
you who hear our prayer.

To you all flesh will come
with its burden of sin.
Too heavy for us, our offenses,
but you wipe them away.

Blessed is he whom you choose and call
to dwell in your courts.
We are filled with the blessings of your house,
of your holy temple.

You keep your pledge with wonders,
O God our savior,
the hope of all the earth
and of far distant isles.

You uphold the mountains with your strength,
you are girded with power.
You still the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves
and the tumult of the peoples.

The ends of the earth stand in awe
at the sight of your wonders.
The lands of sunrise and sunset
you fill with your joy.

You care for the earth, give it water,
you fill it with riches.
Your river in heaven brims over
to provide its grain.
And thus you provide for the earth;

you drench its furrows,
you level it, soften it with showers,
you bless its growth.

You crown the year with your goodness.
Abundance flows in your steps,
in the pastures of the wilderness it flows.

The hills are girded with joy,
the meadows covered with flocks,
the valleys are decked with wheat.
They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, hope of all the earth, hear the humble prayer of your children as we sing your praises. Pour out your Spirit on us so that our lives may bear fruit abundantly.

Ant. To you, O God, our praise is due in Zion.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5

You are not in the dark, brothers, that the day should catch you off guard, like a thief. No, all of you are children of light and of the day. We belong neither to darkness nor to night.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.– Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

Dawn finds me watching, crying out for you,– all my trust is in your promise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

Luke 1:68 – 79 The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us bless our Savior who enlightens the world by his resurrection. Let us humbly beg him:Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Grant that we may progress today in your love,– and that all things may work together for our good and the good of all.Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Make our light shine so brightly before men,– that seeing our good works they may give glory to the Father.Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
true light of the world,
you guide all mankind to salvation.
Give us the courage, strength and grace
to build a world of justice and peace,
ready for the coming of that kingdom.
You live and reign for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

Far from us drive our deadly foe;
True peace unto us bring;
And through all perils lead us safe
Beneath thy sacred wing.

Through thee may we the Father know,
Through thee th’eternal Son,
And thee the Spirit of them both,
Thrice-blessed Three in One.

All glory to the Father be,
With his co-equal Son:
The same to thee, great Paraclete,
While endless ages run.

“Come Holy Ghost” by Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.

What shall he repay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warriors arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, JerusalemYou have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

God is the Savior of those who revere him,– that his glory may dwell here on earth.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

All-powerful and ever-living God,
in midmorning you poured out the Holy Spirit
as a constant Friend and Guide for your apostles.
Send that same Spirit of love to us
to make us faithful witnesses to you
in the sight of all mankind.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hand swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

For proud men have risen against me,
ruthless men seek my life.
They have no regard for God.
But I have God for my help.
The Lord upholds my life.

I will sacrifice to you with willing heart
and praise your name for it is good:
for you have rescued me from all my distress
and my eyes have seen the downfall of my foes.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

We humbly ask you, Father, to save us from every evil and trial on earth, that we may seek with our hearts and deeds our Lord and helper, Jesus Christ, whom we look to in the heavens.

Ant. God is my helper and my strong support.

READING 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

The body is one and has many members, but all the members, many though they are, are one body; and so it is with Christ. It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized into one body. All of us have been given to drink of the one Spirit.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Holy Father, keep us true to yourself.– That we may be perfectly one.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God,
you made known to Peter
your desire to bring all nations to salvation.
Let all our work give you praise
and carry out your loving plan.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Midafternoon Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
Through out eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
Through out eternity, I’ll sing on.

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in GodCompanions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING 1 Corinthians 12:24b,25-26

God has so constructed the body, that there may be no dissention in the body, but that all the members may be concerned for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members share its joy.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Lord our God, gather us from the nations of the world,– That we may glorify your holy name.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
you sent your angel to Cornelius
to show him the way to salvation
Help us to work generously for the salvation of the world
so that your Church may bring us and all mankind
into your presence.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

For the fruits of his creation,
thanks be to God.
For His gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safekeeping,
Thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labor,
God’s will is done.
In the help we give our neighbor,
God’s will is done.
In our worldwide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.

For the harvests of his Spirit,
Thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit,
Thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
For the truths that still confound us,
Most of all that love has found us,
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 49
Emptiness of richesIt is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:23).

I

Hear this, all you peoples,
give heed, all who dwell in the world,
men both low and high,
rich and poor alike!

My lips will speak words of wisdom.
My heart is full of insight.
I will turn my mind to a parable,
with the harp I will solve my problem.

Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?

For no man can buy his own ransom,
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave.

He knows that wise men and fools must both perish
and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their homes for ever,
their dwelling place from age to age,
though their names spread wide through the land.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom:
he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Ant. 2 Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, says the Lord.

II

This is the lot of those who trust in themselves,
who have others at their beck and call.
Like sheep they are driven to the grave,
where death shall be their shepherd
and the just shall become their rulers.

With the morning their outward show vanishes
and the grave becomes their home.
But God will ransom me from death
and take my soul to himself.

Then do not fear when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
He takes nothing with him when he dies,
his glory does not follow him below.

Though he flattered himself while he lived:
“Men will praise me for all my success,”
yet he will go to join his fathers,
who will never see the light any more.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom:
he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Make our mouths speak your wisdom, Lord Jesus, and help us to remember that you became man and redeemed us from death that we might merit the beauty of your light.

Ant. Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, says the Lord.

Ant. 3 Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

Canticle — Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

READING Romans 3:23-25a

All men have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. All men are now undeservedly justified by the gift of God, through the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus. Through his blood, God made him the means of expiation for all who believe. He did so to manifest his own justice.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.– I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

Fulfillment and endless peace in your presence,– when I see your face, O Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

Luke 1:46-55 The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us praise Christ, the shepherd and guardian of our souls, who loves and protects his people. Placing our hope in him, we cry out:Protect your people, Lord.

Look kindly on those who suffer persecution,– hasten to free them from all adversity.Protect your people, Lord.

Have mercy on the needy, Lord,– provide food for the hungry.Protect your people, Lord.

Enlighten all legislators,– to enact laws in the spirit of wisdom and justice.Protect your people, Lord.

Come to the aid of our departed brothers and sisters, whom you have redeemed with your blood,– make them worthy to enter your wedding feast.Protect your people, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Father,
yours is the morning
and yours is the evening.
Let the Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ,
shine for ever in our hearts
and draw us to that light
where you live in radiant glory.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you have shown us the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.– Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Christ, have mercy.– Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you are the good shepherd,
leading us into everlasting life:
Lord, have mercy.– Lord, have mercy.

HYMN

The Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want;
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me by the still waters;
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
For His name sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table for me
In the presence of my enemies.
Thou annointest my head with oil;
My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life
And I will dwell in the House of my Lord
forever and ever.

Jan 21, About Today for Agnes, V & M

January 21

Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Memorial

St. Agnes has been venerated since the 4th century in Rome. Various early legends make it difficult to determine the details of her martyrdom, but it’s clear she was young and heroic. After her death, Constantina, Constantine’s daughter, had a basilica erected over the young virgin’s grave. St. Agnes’ name is included in the Roman Canon of the Mass and early Church Fathers and Christian poets, including St. Augustine and St. Ambrose, praised her virtue.[1][2][3]

Jan 21, Invitatory for Agnes, V & M

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The holy virgins praise their Lord and King; come, let us join in their worship, alleluia.

Psalm 39
Urgent prayer of a sick personCreation is made subject to futility…by him who subjected it, but it is not without hope (Romans 8:20).

I

I said: “I will be watchful of my ways
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips
when the wicked man stands before me.”
I was dumb, silent and still.
His prosperity stirred my grief.

My heart was burning within me.
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech:
“O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days.
Now I know how fleeting is my life.

You have given me a short span of days;
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm,
a mere shadow, the man passing by,
a mere breath, the riches he hoards,
not knowing who will have them.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.

Ant. 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.

II

And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
In you rests all my hope.
Set me free from all my sins,
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I was silent, not opening my lips,
because this was all your doing.

Take away your scourge from me.
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
You punish man’s sins and correct him;
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath;
O Lord, hear my prayer.

O Lord, turn your ear to my cry.
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest,
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
Look away that I may breathe again,
before I depart to be no more.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.

Ant. Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.

Ant. 3 I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.

Psalm 52
Against a calumniatorIf anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Why do you boast of your wickedness,
you champion of evil,
planning ruin all day long,
your tongue like a sharpened razor,
you master of deceit?

You love evil more than good;
lies more than truth.
You love the destructive word,
you tongue of deceit.

For this God will destroy you
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you
from the land of the living.

The just shall see and fear.
They shall laugh and say:
“So this is the man who refused
to take God as his stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth
and grew powerful by his crimes.”

But I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God
for ever and ever.

I will thank you for evermore;
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good,
in the presence of your friends.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, you cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.

Ant. I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I have known tribulation and distress.– But in your commands I have found consolation.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of Deuteronomy7:6-14; 8:1-6
Israel, the chosen people

Moses spoke to the people, saying:

“You are a people sacred to the Lord, your God; he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth to be a people peculiarly his own. It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, for you are really the smallest of all nations. It was because the Lord loved you and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn to your fathers, that he brought you out with his strong hand from the place of slavery, and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

Understand, then, that the Lord, your God, is God indeed, the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant down to the thousandth generation toward those who love him and keep his commandments, but who repays with destruction the person who hates him; he does not dally with such a one, but makes him personally pay for it. You shall therefore carefully observe the commandments, the statutes and the decrees which I enjoin on you today.

“As your reward for heeding these decrees and observing them carefully, the Lord, your God, will keep with you the merciful covenant which he promised on oath to your fathers. He will love and bless and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your soil, your grain and wine and oil, the issue of your herds and the young of your flocks, in the land which he swore to your fathers he would give you. You will be blessed above all peoples; no man or woman among you shall be childless nor shall your livestock be barren.

“Be careful to observe all the commandments I enjoin on you today, that you may live and increase, and may enter in and possess the land which the Lord promised on oath to your fathers. Remember how for forty years now the Lord, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments.

“He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord. The clothing did not fall from you in tatters, nor did your feet swell these forty years. So you must realize that the Lord, your God, disciplines you even as a man disciplines his son.

“Therefore, keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, by walking in his ways and fearing him.”

RESPONSORY 1 John 4:10, 16; Isaiah 63:8, 9

God first loved us, and sent his own Son to be the sacrifice that frees us from our sins.–We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.

The Lord himself has become our savior; he has redeemed us in his love.–We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.

Second reading
From a treatise On Virgins by Saint Ambrose, bishopToo young to be punished, yet old enough for a martyr’s crown

Today is the birthday of a virgin; let us imitate her purity. It is the birthday of a martyr; let us offer ourselves in sacrifice. It is the birthday of Saint Agnes, who is said to have suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve. The cruelty that did not spare her youth shows all the more clearly the power of faith in finding one so young to bear it witness.

There was little or no room in that small body for a wound. Though she could scarcely receive the blow, she could rise superior to it. Girls of her age cannot bear even their parents’ frowns and, pricked by a needle, weep as for a serious wound. Yet she shows no fear of the blood-stained hands of her executioners. She stands undaunted by heavy, clanking chains. She offers her whole body to be put to the sword by fierce soldiers. She is too young to know of death, yet is ready to face it. Dragged against her will to the altars, she stretches out her hands to the Lord in the midst of the flames, making the triumphant sign of Christ the victor on the altars of sacrilege. She puts her neck and hands in iron chains, but no chain can hold fast her tiny limbs.

A new kind of martyrdom! Too young to be punished, yet old enough for a martyr’s crown; unfitted for the contest, yet effortless in victory, she shows herself a master in valor despite the handicap of youth. As a bride she would not be hastening to join her husband with the same joy she shows as a virgin on her way to punishment, crowned not with flowers but with holiness of life, adorned not with braided hair but with Christ himself.

In the midst of tears, she sheds no tears herself. The crowds marvel at her recklessness in throwing away her life untasted, as if she had already lived life to the full. All are amazed that one not yet of legal age can give her testimony to God. So she succeeds in convincing others of her testimony about God, though her testimony in human affairs could not yet be accepted. What is beyond the power of nature, they argue, must come from its creator.

What menaces there were from the executioner, to frighten her; what promises made, to win her over; what influential people desired her in marriage! She answered: “To hope that any other will please me does wrong to my Spouse. I will be his who first chose me for himself. Executioner, why do you delay? If eyes that I do not want can desire this body, then let it perish.” She stood still, she prayed, she offered her neck.

You could see fear in the eyes of the executioner, as if he were the one condemned; his right hand trembled, his face grew pale as he saw the girl’s peril, while she had no fear for herself. One victim, but a twin martyrdom, to modesty and to religion; Agnes preserved her virginity, and gained a martyr’s crown.

RESPONSORY

Let us keep the feast of Saint Agnes by recalling all that she suffered.– While still so young, she overcame death and found true life.

For the giver of life was her only love.– While still so young, she overcame death and found true life.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who choose what is weak in the world
to confound the strong,
mercifully grant, that we,
who celebrate the heavenly birthday
of your Martyr Saint Agnes,
may follow her constancy in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Ant. 1 My Lord Jesus Christ has espoused me with his ring; he has crowned me like a bride.

Psalm 63:2-9
A soul thirsting for GodWhoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. My Lord Jesus Christ has espoused me with his ring; he has crowned me like a bride.

Ant. 2 I am espoused to him whom the angels serve; sun and moon stand in wonder at his beauty.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. I am espoused to him whom the angels serve; sun and moon stand in wonder at his beauty.

Ant. 3 Rejoice with me, and be glad, for I have taken my place with all the saints in the kingdom of light.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy peopleLet the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Rejoice with me, and be glad, for I have taken my place with all the saints in the kingdom of light.

READING 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation! He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from him. As we have shared much in the sufferings of Christ, so through Christ do we share abundantly in his consolation.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

The Lord will help her; his loving presence will be with her.– The Lord will help her; his loving presence will be with her.

He dwells in her; she will not falter.– His loving presence will be with her.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– The Lord will help her; his loving presence will be with her.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. What I longed for, I now see; what I hoped for, I now possess; in heaven I am espoused to him whom on earth I loved with all my heart.

Luke 1:68-79The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. What I longed for, I now see; what I hoped for, I now possess; in heaven I am espoused to him whom on earth I loved with all my heart.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Savior’s faithfulness is mirrored in the fidelity of his witnesses who shed their blood for the word of God. Let us praise him in remembrance of them:You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs freely embraced death in bearing witness to the faith,– give us the true freedom of the Spirit, O Lord.You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs professed their faith by shedding their blood,– give us a faith, O Lord, that is constant and pure.You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs followed in your footsteps by carrying the cross,– help us to endure courageously the misfortunes of life.You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb,– help us to avoid the weaknesses of the flesh and worldly allurements.You redeemed us by your blood.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who choose what is weak in the world
to confound the strong,
mercifully grant, that we,
who celebrate the heavenly birthday
of your Martyr Saint Agnes,
may follow her constancy in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.

What shall he repay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warriors arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, JerusalemYou have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING Jeremiah 31:33

This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Create a clean heart in me, O God,– Do not cast me away from your face.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God our Father,
work is your gift to us,
a call to reach new heights
by using our talents for the good of all.
Guide us as we work and teach us to live
in the spirit that has made us your sons and daughters,
in the love that has made us brothers and sisters.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Ant. 1 Blessed are those who hear the word of God and cherish it in their hearts.

Psalm 119:41-48
VI (Vau)

Lord, let your love come upon me,
the saving help of your promise.
And I shall answer those who taunt me
for I trust in your word.

Do not take the word of truth from my mouth
for I trust in your decrees.
I shall always keep your law
for ever and ever.

I shall walk in the path of freedom
for I seek your precepts.
I will speak of your will before kings
and not be abashed.

Your commands have been my delight;
these I have loved.
I will worship your commands and love them
and ponder your will.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, let your salvation come to us as you have promised, that we may keep your law always and, taught by the Word of truth, find strength in his salvation.

Ant. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and cherish it in their hearts.

Ant. 2 Doing my Father’s will is the food that sustains me.

Psalm 40:2-14, 17-18
Thanksgiving and plea for help It was not sacrifice and oblation you wanted, but you have prepared a body for me (Hebrews 10:5).

I

I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.

He drew me from the deadly pit,
from the miry clay.
He set my feet upon a rock
and made my footsteps firm.

He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
Many shall see and fear
and shall trust in the Lord.

Happy the man who has placed
his trust in the Lord
and has not gone over to the rebels
who follow false gods.

How many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders and designs that you have worked for us;
you have no equal.
Should I proclaim and speak of them,
they are more than I can tell!

You do not ask for sacrifices and offerings,
but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.

In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
in the depth of my heart.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Doing my Father’s will is the food that sustains me.

Ant. 3 I am poor but the Lord takes care of me.

II

Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.

I have not hidden your justice in my heart
but declared your faithful help.
I have not hidden your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

O Lord, you will not withhold
your compassion from me.
Your merciful love and your truth
will always guard me.

For I am beset with evils
too many to be counted.
My sins have fallen upon me
and my sight fails me.
They are more than the hairs on my head
and my heart sinks.

O Lord, come to my rescue,
Lord, come to my aid.

O let there be rejoicing and gladness
for all who seek you.
Let them ever say: “The Lord is great,”
who love your saving help.

As for me, wretched and poor,
the Lord thinks of me.
You are my rescuer, my help,
O God, do not delay.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you were made obedient unto death, and your name was exalted above all others. Teach us always to do the Father’s will, so that, made holy by obedience which unites us to the sacrifice of your body, we can expect your great love in times of sorrow and sing a new song to our God.

Ant. I am poor but the Lord takes care of me.

READING Jeremiah 32:40

I will make with them an eternal covenant, never to cease doing good to them; into their hearts I will put the fear of me, that they may never depart from me.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

God is my savior and my glory.– I take refuge in him.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
yours is the harvest
and yours is the vineyard:
you assign the task
and pay a wage that is just.
Help us to meet this day’s responsibilities,
and let nothing separate us from your love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in GodCompanions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING Jeremiah 32:40

I will make with them an eternal covenant, never to cease doing good to them; into their hearts I will put the fear of me, that they may never depart from me.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

God is my savior and my glory– I take refuge in him.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
yours is the harvest and yours is the vineyard:
you assign the task
and pay a wage that is just.
Help us to meet this day’s responsibilities,
and let nothing separate us from your love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Jan 21, Evening Prayer – Memorial for Agnes, V & M

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 668
Psalms and canticle from Common of One Martyr, 1722
Proper of Saints: 1380 (ants, reading, canticle ant)
Common of One Martyr: 1721 (intercessions)

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Psalms and canticle from Common of One Martyr, 1418
Proper of Saints: 1067 (ants, reading, canticle ant)
Common of One Martyr: 1420 (intercessions)

Evening Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

God, come to my assistance.– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

When we’ve been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.

Ant. 1 Christ’s virgin could not be broken by any terror, nor won over by false allurements.

Psalm 116:1-9

I love the Lord for he has heard
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me
in the day when I called him.

They surrounded me, the snares of death,
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress.
I called on the Lord’s name.

O Lord, my God, deliver me!

How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.

Turn back, my soul, to your rest
for the Lord has been good;
he has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Christ’s virgin could not be broken by any terror, nor won over by false allurements.

Ant. 2 To him alone I pledge my trust; to him alone I give my undivided love.

Psalm 116:10-19

I trusted, even when I said:
“I am sorely afflicted”,
and when I said in my alarm:
“No man can be trusted.”

How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. To him alone I pledge my trust; to him alone I give my undivided love.

Ant. 3 I give thanks to you, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for through him you have made your servant victorious.

Canticle – Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
those from every tribe and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on earth.”

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I give thanks to you, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for through him you have made your servant victorious.

READING 1 Peter 4:13-14

Dearly beloved: Rejoice in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.– The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.

He has taken her to live with him,– his loved one from the beginning.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Saint Agnes raised her hands and prayed: Holy Father, hear me. I am coming to you whom I have loved, whom I have sought and always desired.

Luke 1:46-55The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Saint Agnes raised her hands and prayed: Holy Father, hear me. I am coming to you whom I have loved, whom I have sought and always desired.

INTERCESSIONS

This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:We praise you, O Lord.

We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for loving us to the end:We praise you, O Lord.

For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:We praise you, O Lord.

For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured out for the remission of sin:We praise you, O Lord.

For our perseverance in your grace today:We praise you, O Lord.

For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into your own death today:We praise you, O Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who choose what is weak in the world
to confound the strong,
mercifully grant, that we,
who celebrate the heavenly birthday
of your Martyr Saint Agnes,
may follow her constancy in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

Jan 21, Night Prayer for Monday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time

General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Monday

God, come to my assistance.– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you came to reconcile us to one another and to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.– Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you heal the wounds of sin and division:
Christ, have mercy.– Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you intercede for us with your Father:
Lord, have mercy.– Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
give our bodies restful sleep
and let the work we have done today
bear fruit in eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.– Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To you do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to you do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Jan 20, About Today for Sunday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time

January 20

Sts. Sebastian, Martyr and Fabian, Pope and Martyr

Optional Memorials

St Sebastian was born in Gaul, but his parents were of Milan, in Italy, and he was brought up in that city. He was a fervent servant of Christ, and though his natural inclinations gave him an aversion to a military life, yet to be better able, without suspicion, to assist the confessors and martyrs in their sufferings, he went to Rome and entered the army under the emperor Carinus about the year 283. (more…)

Jan 20, Invitatory for Sunday in the 2nd Week of Ordinary Time

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Ant. 1 Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

Psalm 104
Hymn to God the CreatorTo be in Christ means being a completely new creature. Everything of the old is gone, now everything is made anew (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I

Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in light as in a robe!

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

You stretch out the heavens like a tent.
Above the rains you build your dwelling.
You make the clouds your chariot,
and walk on the wings of the wind;
you make the winds your messengers
and flashing fire your servants.

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

You founded the earth on its base,
to stand firm from age to age.
You wrapped it with the ocean like a cloak:
the waters stood higher than the mountains.

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

At your threat they took to flight;
at the voice of your thunder they fled.
They rose over the mountains and flowed down
to the place which you had appointed.
You set the limits they might not pass
lest they return to cover the earth.

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys:
they flow in between the hills.
They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
the wild-asses quench their thirst.
On their banks dwell the birds of heaven;
from the branches they sing their song.

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, our God, in splendor and majesty you are clothed, wrapped in light as in a robe, alleluia.

Ant. 2The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

II

From your dwelling you water the hills;
earth drinks its fill of your gift.
You make the grass grow for the cattle
and the plants to serve man’s needs,

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

that he may bring forth bread from the earth
and wine to cheer man’s heart;
oil, to make him glad
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
the cedars he planted on Lebanon;
there the birds build their nests:
on the tree-top the stork has her home.
The goats find a home on the mountains
and rabbits hide in the rocks.

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

You made the moon to mark the months;
the sun knows the time for its setting.
When you spread the darkness it is night
and all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
The young lions roar for their prey
and ask their food from God.

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

At the rising of the sun they steal away
and go to rest in their dens.
Man goes forth to his work,
to labor till evening falls.

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has brought forth bread from the earth, and wine to give warmth to men’s hearts, alleluia.

Ant. 3 The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

III

How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

There is the sea, vast and wide,
with its moving swarms past counting,
living things great and small.
The ships are moving there
and the monsters you made to play with.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

All of these look to you
to give them their food in due season.
You give it, they gather it up:
you open your hand, they have their fill.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

You hide your face, they are dismayed;
you take back your spirit, they die,
returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the earth.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

May the glory of the Lord last forever!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
He looks on the earth and it trembles;
the mountains send forth smoke at his touch.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

I will sing to the Lord all my life,
make music to my God while I live.
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
I find my joy in the Lord.
Let sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked exist no more.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

Bless the Lord, my soul.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, as you made springs in valleys to form streams between mountains, so you made living streams of grace flow from the Apostles that their teaching may bring salvation to all the nations. May we have a practical knowledge of their doctrine, be obedient to their commands, obtain remission of our sins through their prayers, and finally receive the reward of eternal happiness.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Blessed are your eyes, for they see God’s works.– And your ears, for they hear his word.

READINGS

First reading
The beginning of the book of Deuteronomy1:1, 6-18
The last words of Moses in Moab

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan [in the desert, in the Arabah, opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab].

“The Lord, our God, said to us at Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Leave here and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the surrounding regions, the land of the Canaanites in the Arabah, the mountains, the foothills, the Negeb and the seacoast; to Lebanon, and as far as the Great River [the Euphrates]. I have given that land over to you. Go now and occupy the land I swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I would give to them and to their descendants.’

“At that time I said to you, ‘Alone, I am unable to carry you. The Lord, your God, has so multiplied you that you are now as numerous as the stars in the sky. May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times over, and bless you as he promised! But how can I alone bear the crushing burden that you are, along with your bickering? Choose wise, intelligent and experienced men from each of your tribes, that I may appoint them as your leaders.’ You answered me, ‘We agree to do as you have proposed.’ So I took outstanding men of your tribes, wise and experienced, and made them your leaders as officials over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties and over tens, and other tribal officers. I charged your judges at that time, ‘Listen to complaints among your kinsmen, and administer true justice to both parties even if one of them is an alien. In rendering judgment, do not consider who a person is; give ear to the lowly and to the great alike, fearing no man, for judgment is God’s. Refer to me any case that is too hard for you and I will hear it.’ Thereupon I gave you all the commands you were to fulfill.”

RESPONSORY Deuteronomy 10:17; 1:17

The Lord your God is the God of gods, the great God, mighty and awesome.–He has no favorites and accepts no bribes.

You will listen to the lowly as well as the great and have no fear of any man, for judgment belongs to God.–He has no favorites and accepts no bribes.

Second reading
From a Letter to the Ephesians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyrThe harmony of unity

It is right for you to give glory in every way to Jesus Christ who has given glory to you; you must be made holy in all things by being united in perfect obedience, in submission to the bishop and the presbyters.

I am not giving you orders as if I were a person of importance. Even if I am a prisoner for the name of Christ, I am not yet made perfect in Jesus Christ. I am now beginning to be a disciple and I am speaking to you as my fellow disciple. It is you who should be strengthening me by your faith, your encouragement, your patience, your serenity. But since love will not allow me to be silent about you, I am taking the opportunity to urge you to be united in conformity with the mind of God. For Jesus Christ, our life, without whom we cannot live, is the mind of the Father, just as the bishops, appointed over the whole earth, are in conformity with the mind of Jesus Christ.

It is fitting, therefore, that you should be in agreement with the mind of the bishop as in fact you are. Your excellent presbyters, who are a credit to God, are as suited to the bishop as strings to a harp. So in your harmony of mind and heart the song you sing is Jesus Christ. Every one of you should form a choir, so that, in harmony of sound through harmony of hearts, and in unity taking the note from God, you may sing with one voice through Jesus Christ to the Father. If you do this, he will listen to you and see from your good works that you are members of his Son. It is then an advantage to you to live in perfect unity, so that at all times you may share in God.

If in a short space of time I have become so close a friend of your bishop — in a friendship not based on nature but on spiritual grounds — how much more blessed do I judge you to be, for you are as united with him as the Church is to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ to the Father, so that all things are in harmony through unity. Let no one make any mistake: unless a person is within the sanctuary, he is deprived of God’s bread. For if the prayer of one or two has such power, how much more has the prayer of the bishop and the whole Church.

RESPONSORY See Ephesians 4:1, 3-4

I implore you in the Lord, lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you have been called.– Be careful to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit, and there is but one hope given to you by your calling.– Be careful to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.– Govern and uphold them now and always.

Day by day we bless you.– We praise your name for ever.

Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.– Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, show us your love and mercy,– for we have put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope:– And we shall never hope in vain.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

I called to the Lord in my distress;
he answered and freed me.
The Lord is at my side; I do not fear.
What can man do against me?
The Lord is at my side as my helper:
I shall look down on my foes.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in men:
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

The nations all encompassed me;
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me, compassed me about;
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me about like bees;
they blazed like a fire among thorns.
In the Lord’s name I crushed them.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

I was hard-pressed and was falling
but the Lord came to help me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he is my savior.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me up.
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.
I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,
but not doomed to die.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

Open to me the gates of holiness:
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my savior.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

Go forward in procession with branches
even to the altar.
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.

Ant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, you have given us the great day of rejoicing: Jesus Christ, the stone rejected by the builders, has become the cornerstone of the Church, our spiritual home. Shed upon your Church the rays of your glory, that it may be seen as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring out from its tents, to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection.

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us sing a hymn of praise to our God, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Praise the Lord for his infinite greatness, alleluia.

Psalm 150
Praise the LordLet mind and heart be in your song: this is to glorify God with your whole self (Hesychius).

Praise God in his holy place,
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
praise his surpassing greatness.

Ant. Praise the Lord for his infinite greatness, alleluia.

O praise him with sound of trumpet,
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes.

Ant. Praise the Lord for his infinite greatness, alleluia.

O praise him with resounding cymbals,
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the Lord.

Ant. Praise the Lord for his infinite greatness, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just ones holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.

Ant. Praise the Lord for his infinite greatness, alleluia.

READING Ezekiel 36:25-28

I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.– We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

We cry aloud how marvelous you are,– as we call upon your name.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. The disciples came to see where Jesus lived, and all that day they stayed with him.

Luke 1:68 – 79The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The disciples came to see where Jesus lived, and all that day they stayed with him.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us give thanks to our Savior who came into this world as God’s presence among us. Let us call upon him:Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Lord Jesus, you are the rising Sun, the firstfruits of the future resurrection,– grant that we may not sit in the shadow of death but walk in the light of life.Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Show us your goodness, present in every creature,– that we may contemplate your glory everywhere.Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Do not allow us to be overcome by evil today,– but grant that we may overcome evil through the power of good.Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

You were baptized in the Jordan and anointed by the Holy Spirit,– grant that we may this day give thanks to your Holy Spirit.Christ, King of Glory, be our light and our joy.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.

What shall he repay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warriors arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, JerusalemYou have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING Romans 5:1-2,5

Now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have gained access by faith to the grace in which we now stand, and we boast of our hope for the glory of God. And this hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I will sing forever of your mercy, O Lord.– Make known to all generations the fidelity of our God.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

Psalm 23
The Good Shepherd The Lamb himself will be their shepherd and will lead them to the springs of living waters (Revelation 7:17).

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, shepherd of your Church, you give us new birth in the waters of baptism, you anoint us with saving oil, and you call us to salvation at your table. Dispel the terrors of death and the darkness of error. Lead your people along safe paths, that they may rest securely in you and live for ever in your Father’s house.

Ant. The Lord has brought me to green pastures, alleluia.

Ant. 2 Great is the name of the Lord among his people, Israel, alleluia.

Psalm 76
Thanksgiving for victory They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30).

I

God is made known in Judah;
in Israel his name is great.
He set up his tent in Jerusalem
and his dwelling place in Zion.
It was there he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, the armor.

You, O Lord, are resplendent,
more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
The warriors, despoiled, slept in death;
the hands of the soldiers were powerless.
At your threat, O God of Jacob,
horse and rider lay stunned.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Great is the name of the Lord among his people, Israel, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Earth shuddered, then all was still, when God arose for judgment, alleluia.

II

You, you alone, strike terror.
Who shall stand when your anger is roused?
You uttered your sentence from the heavens;
the earth in terror was still
when God arose to judge,
to save the humble of the earth.

Men’s anger will serve to praise you;
its survivors surround you in joy.
Make vows to your God and fulfill them.
Let all pay tribute to him who strikes terror,
who cuts short the life of princes,
who strikes terror in the kings of the earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Your power is awesome, Father, and wonderful is your holiness. In your presence the earth both trembles and stands still, for you shattered death’s power by the cross. Rise to help your people: give your light, and grant salvation to the meek of the earth, that they may praise your name in heaven.

Ant. Earth shuddered, then all was still, when God arose for judgment, alleluia.

READING Romans 8:26

The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Lord, grant a hearing to my prayer.– Give me wisdom as you promised.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands
For our offenses given;
But now at God’s right hand He stands
And brings us life from heaven.
Therefore let us joyful be
And sing to God right thankfully
Loud songs of alleluia! Alleluia!

No son of man could conquer death,
Such ruin sin had wrought us.
No innocence was found on earth,
And therefore death had brought us
Into bondage from of old
And ever grew more strong and bold
And held us as its captive. Alleluia!

Christ Jesus, God’s own Son, came down,
His people to deliver;
Destroying sin, He took the crown
From death’s pale brow forever:
Stripped of pow’r, no more it reigns;
An empty form alone remains;
Its sting is lost forever. Alleluia!

It was a strange and dreadful strife
When life and death contended;
The victory remained with life,
The reign of death was ended.
Holy Scripture plainly saith
That death is swallowed up by death,
Its sting is lost forever. Alleluia!

Here our true Paschal Lamb we see,
Whom God so freely gave us;
He died on the accursed tree —
So strong His love—to save us.
See, His blood now marks our door;
Faith points to it; death passes o’er,
And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia!

So let us keep the festival
To which our Lord invites us;
Christ is Himself the joy of all,
The sun that warms and lights us.
Now His grace to us imparts
Eternal sunshine to our hearts;
The night of sin is ended. Alleluia!

Then let us feast this Easter Day
On Christ, the bread of heaven;
The Word of grace has purged away
The old and evil leaven.
Christ alone our souls will feed;
He is our meat and drink indeed;
Faith lives upon no other! Alleluia!

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in GodCompanions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

God is the one who firmly establishes us along with you in Christ; it is he who anointed us and has sealed us, thereby depositing the first payment, the Spirit, in our hearts.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

The Lord is my light and my help.– He is the protector of my life.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Almighty God, bring the kingdom of Christ, your anointed one, to its fullness. May the perfect offering of your Son, eternal priest of the new Jerusalem, be offered in every place to your name, and make all nations a holy people for you.

Ant. Christ our Lord is a priest for ever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia.

Ant. 2 God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

Psalm 115
Praise of the true GodYou have renounced idol worship to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name give the glory
for the sake of your love and your truth,
lest the heathen say: “Where is their God?”

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

But our God is in the heavens;
he does whatever he wills.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see;
they have ears but they cannot hear;
they have nostrils but they cannot smell.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

With their hands they cannot feel;
with their feet they cannot walk.
No sound comes from their throats.
Their makers will come to be like them
and so will all who trust in them.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
Sons of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

You who fear him, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
He remembers us, and he will bless us;
he will bless the sons of Israel.
He will bless the sons of Aaron.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

The Lord will bless those who fear him,
the little no less than the great:
to you may the Lord grant increase,
to you and all your children.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

May you be blessed by the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord
but the earth he has given to men.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

The dead shall not praise the Lord,
nor those who go down into the silence.
But we who live bless the Lord
now and for ever. Amen.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, creator and ruler of heaven and earth, you made man in your likeness to subdue the earth and master it, and to recognize the work of your hands in created beauty. Grant that your children, thus surrounded on all sides by signs of your presence, may live continually in Christ, praising you through him and with him.

Ant. God dwells in highest heaven; he has power to do all he wills, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Canticle – See Revelation 19:1-7The wedding of the lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:– Alleluia.
his judgments are honest and true.– Alleluia (alleluia).

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,– Alleluia.
all who worship him reverently, great and small.– Alleluia (alleluia).

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,– Alleluia.
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.– Alleluia (alleluia).

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

READING 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

We are bound to thank God for you always, beloved brothers in the Lord, because you are the first fruits of those whom God has chosen for salvation, in holiness of spirit and fidelity to truth. He called you through our preaching of the good news so that you might achieve the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.– Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.

His wisdom is beyond compare,– mighty is his power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. There was a wedding in Cana at Galilee, and Jesus was there with Mary his mother.

Luke 1:46-55The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. There was a wedding in Cana at Galilee, and Jesus was there with Mary his mother.

INTERCESSIONS

All praise and honor to Christ! He lives for ever to intercede for us, and he is able to save those who approach the Father in his name.
Sustained by our faith, let us call upon him:Remember your people, Lord.

As the day draws to a close, Sun of Justice, we invoke your name upon the whole human race,– so that all men may enjoy your never failing light.Remember your people, Lord.

Preserve the covenant which you have ratified in your blood,– cleanse and sanctify your Church.Remember your people, Lord.

Guide travelers along the path of peace and prosperity,
so that they may reach their destinations in safety and joy.Remember your people, Lord.

Receive the souls of the dead, Lord,– grant them your favor and the gift of eternal glory.Remember your people, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.– Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Kýrie, eléison– Kýrie, eléison

Christé, eléison– Christé, eléison

Kýrie, eléison– Kýrie, eléison

HYMN

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Blessed are the gentle,
they shall inherit the land.

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Blessed are those who mourn,
they shall be consoled.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice,
the justice of God shall be theirs.

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Blessed are the merciful,
mercy shall be shown to them.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
they shall behold their God.

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Blessed are those who bring peace,
they shall be children of God.

Blessed are those who suffer in the cause of right,
the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Amen! Truly I say to you:
Gather in my name, I am with you.
Gather in my name, I am with you.

Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering careI have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”

It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
his faithfulness is buckler and shield.

Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
and have made the Most High your dwelling.

Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
and trample the young lion and the dragon.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
I will save him in distress and give him glory.

With length of life I will content him;
I shall let him see my saving power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

READING Revelation 22:4-5

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
we have celebrated today
the mystery of the rising of Christ to new life.
May we now rest in your peace,
safe from all that could harm us,
and rise again refreshed and joyful,
to praise you throughout another day.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.– Amen.

Blessing

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.– Amen.